German Catholics, who were deceived and exploited by a selfish bishop, are apparently being rebuffed by Pope Francis in their effort to seek justice. It’s the same old pattern: corrupt Catholic officials are given “mercy” while their victims are given nothing.

Bild reports that Germany's "bling bishop" – Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst - may get off without paying damages to his diocese for his excessive spending on his 31.3 million-euro home and misleading parishioners and the public about it. We’re saddened but not surprised.

Pope Francis can keep gradually changing church finances, governance and morale. But until he finds the courage to harshly discipline reckless, selfish and deceptive bishops, he won’t change the damaging clerical culture of the church. And clergy crimes and misdeeds – financial and sexual – will continue.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Germany's "bling bishop" might get off without paying damages to his diocese if a report in the mass-circulation "Bild" is to be believed. Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst had lived large in a 31.3 million-euro residence.

On Thursday, the mass-circulation newspaper "Bild" reported that the disgraced bishop would not have to pay damages for going about 25 million euros ($28 million) over budget. Quoting a Vatican insider, the Thursday edition of the newspaper, Germany's biggest by circulation, reported that Pope Francis had made the decision back in July.